Patent EA-000832-B1 (EA)
Title: Thermoformable multilayered polyster sheet and process for preparing a decorative article therefrom
Inventor: CHATURVEDI CHARU M
IPC: B32B27/36
Filed: 1998-03-16
Abstract: 1. A thermoplastic composite comprising an extruded thermoformable self supporting sheet having an outer decorative chemically resistant and renewable filled polyester layer and an adjacent inner supporting thermoplastic layer for enhancing desirable mechanical properties of the composite. 2. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 1 wherein said decorative outer polyester layer comprises a colorant, an inorganic filler, an effective amount of a stabilizer, and optionally polycarbonate, and an impact modifier. 3. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 2 wherein the adjacent inner thermoplastic layer comprises a heat deformable layer having mechanical properties such as impact resistance and melt strength which desirably exceed these properties as possessed by the outer polyester layer. 4. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 3 wherein the adjacent inner thermoplastic layer comprises acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, polycarbonate, polycarbonate/ acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene blend, copolycarbonate-polyester, acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile, acrylonitrile (ethylene-polypylene diamine modified)-styrene, phenylene ether resins, blends of polyphenylene ether/polyamide, blends of polycarbonate/polybutylene terephthalate and impact modifier, blends of polycarbonate/PET/PBT, polyamides, phenylene sulfide resins, poly(vinyl chloride), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and high-impact polystyrene. 5. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 4 wherein said outer polyester layer comprises an inert mineral filler. 6. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 5 wherein said outer polyester layer comprises an inert mineral filler comprising barium sulfate. 7. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 6 wherein said outer polyester layer comprises from about 10 to about 40 percent by weight poly (butylene terephthalate) or poly(ethylene terephthalate), aromatic polycarbonate from about 10 to about 25 percent, stabilizer from about 0.01 to about 10 percent, impact modifier from 4 to about 15 percent, barium sulfate from about 30 to about 40 percent, and additional ingredients including pigment or dyes present in an effective amount less than 5 percent. 8. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 7 wherein said outer polyester layer and said adjacent inner are extruded and have an overall thickness from 0.02 inch to 0.5 inch wherein the thickness of said polyester layer is from about 5 to about 85 percent of the overall thickness. 9. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 6 wherein said outer polyester layer comprises a thermoformed material comprising a two layered structure having a total thickness of 200 to 400 mils with an outer layer comprising polyester material and being 15 to 40 percent of the total thickness. 10. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 6 wherein multilayered material comprises a sheet having a two layered structure having a total thickness of 90 to 125 mils wherein said outer polyester layer comprises about 15 to 30 percent of the total thickness and said inner layer comprises an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin. 11. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 6 comprising at least a two layer polyester outer layer for having a decorative surface, said inner layer having different color than said outer layer, said pattern being developed by removal of a portion of the outer layer to expose said adjacent layer, said two layered structure having a total thickness of 90 to 125 mils wherein said outer layer is 15 to 30 percent of the total thickness and said inner layer comprises an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin. 12. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 6 comprising at least two layers, said outer layer comprises polyester and said inner layer comprises a mixture comprising an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin and a regrind mixture, said outer layer is about 33% of the total thickness. 13. A thermoplastic composite according to claim 1 comprising a three layer structure comprising an outer polyester layer, and adjacent layers comprising an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin and a regrind layer, said regrind layer comprising a mixture of polyester and an acrylonitrile butadiene-styrene resin. 14. A process for preparing a decorative article comprising extruding a multilayered sheet by feeding at least two different resin compositions to an extruder, extruding said at least two resin compositions into the multilayered self-supporting coextruded sheet, and thermoforming at least a portion of said coextruded sheet into a decorative article wherein at least one exterior surface of the article comprises one resin and an adjacent layer comprises the other resin, said resin forming said exterior decorative surface comprising a chemically resistant filled polyester layer and an adjacent inner supporting thermoplastic layer for enhancing desirable mechanical properties of the composite. 15. A process for preparing a decorative article according to claim 14 wherein said decorative outer polyester layer comprises a colorant, an inorganic filler, an effective amount of a stabilizer, and optionally polycarbonate, an impact modifier, or a UV stabilizer, and mixtures thereof. 16. A process for preparing a decorative article according to claim 14 wherein the adjacent inner thermoplastic layer comprises a heat deformable layer having mechanical properties such as impact resistance and melt strength which desirably exceed these properties as possessed by the outerpolyester layer. 17. A process for preparing a decorative article according to claim 14 wherein the adjacent inner thermoplastic layer comprises acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, polycarbonate/ acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene blend, copolycarbonate-polyester, acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile, acrylonitrile-(ethylene-polypylene diamine modified)-styrene, phenylene ether resins, blends of polyphenylene ether/polyamide, blends of polycarbonate/polybutylene terephthalate and impact modifier, blends of polycarbonate/PET/PBT, polyamides, phenylene sulfide resins, poly(vinyl chloride), and high-impact polystyrene. 18. A process for preparing a decorative article according to claim 14 wherein the adjacent said polyester is selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene terephthalate) ("PET"), and poly (1,4-butylene terephthalate), ("PBT"), poly(ethylene naphthanoate) ("PEN"), poly(butylene naphthanoate), ("PBN") and (polypropylene terephthalate) ("PPT"), and mixtures thereof.